Regal Ringnecked Snake

Posted on January 16, 2025January 16, 2025 by Bryan Hughes

To another small snake, this is a terrifying sight. A venomous snake-eating specialist that will take prey almost as large as it is by clamping down tight and flipping over, using its atypically long body as an anchor. After releasing, it follows the mortally wounded snake, face to face, watching it until it either dies or needs another round of venom.

But to humans – totally harmless, not that it would bite anyway.

We found this Regal Ring-necked Snake crossing a roadway after dark in southeastern Arizona. Most that I’ve seen are in the day time … in fact, this is the only one I can find in my memory or notes that I’ve found at night. In this photo, it’s showing its characteristic defensive display, with a brightly colored underbelly and twisted tail.

Sonoran Lyresnake From Yuma County

Posted on January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 by Bryan Hughes

Sonoran Lyresnake from the southwestern corner of Arizona. These snakes are common in the right habitat, but most lifelong Arizona residents will never see one. The large eyes indicate one of the reasons: they’re primarily nocturnal, often moving late at night long after temperatures have cooled enough to have stopped most other snake activity.

Yellow-tailed Cribo

Posted on December 15, 2024December 15, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

A very impressive animal – an adult Yellow-tailed Cribo found near camp in Peru.

Blunt Headed Tree Snake Eating A Lizard

Posted on December 12, 2024December 12, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

Crossing a metal bridge on a trail through the Costa Rican rainforest, we were stopped by the sight of a Blunt-headed Tree Snake in the latter stages of eating a small lizard. The lizard was still trying to escape, but the snake was not going to lose this one. These tree snakes, with their huge eyes and comically thin bodies, seem kind of goofy, so it was cool to see one doing what they do, and know that for as silly as they seem to be, to a sleeping anole it is a pretty terrifying animal.

Striped Whipsnake At A Rattlesnake Den

Posted on December 3, 2024December 3, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

It’s not a great photo, but this is how these snakes are often seen. It’s a Striped Whipsnake; one of several seen cruising around a multi-species rattlesnake den in the spring. Personally, I’ve been clued into a good number of rattlesnakes hidden deep within crevices because of these much more observable snakes, and their preference for similar hibernacula.

Great Basin Gophersnake

Posted on December 2, 2024December 2, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

A Great Basin Gophersnake cruising around the rocks that it shares the winter with dozens of Great Basin Rattlesnakes. These important areas where hibernation and subsequent hunting and drinking are better than the surrounding rock piles can be home to multiple species of snakes.

Worm Snake

Posted on November 7, 2024November 7, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

One of the small, fossorial snakes of the southeast – a Midwestern Worm Snake. These tiny guys specialize in earthworms, but may take other soft-bodied invertebrates as well.

Sonoran Lyresnake

Posted on November 4, 2024November 4, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

Sonoran Lyresnake from the eastern end of Arizona. These are secretive snakes that live on rocky hillsides, eating lizards and small mammals. They are mildly venomous, and can cause a reaction in humans, but typically not considered dangerous. Fortunately, a bite can easily be avoided by just leaving these shy animals alone.

Indian Vinesnake In The Rain

Posted on October 20, 2024October 20, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

One of many Indian Vinesnakes we found moving in low branches on a rainy night in Karnataka, India.

Banded Sandsnake From Above

Posted on October 3, 2024October 3, 2024 by Bryan Hughes

Banded Sandsnakes are common, found in sandy drainages and often spotted on the surface in the summer. They’re often mistaken for superficially similar groundsnakes and shovelnosed snakes – one way to tell them apart is the relatively wide body, and the gradual transition of the dorsal stripe to the tan base color along its back. They also have kind of silly puppy faces, which can’t be unseen once you do. This one was found near our office in Cave Creek.